Every Story Starts Somewhere
by Sadye Jean
Summary: What starts as a simple meet-and-greet for Barney's teenage daughter and his crew turns into much, much more.
1. Chapter 1

_Los Angeles (Four days earlier)  
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"Mom! What are you doing? We're going to be late." Nikki hollered across the house, rolling her eyes when she got no response again. "Seriously, Mom. It's not every day that I get to see him. I don't want to be late." She put the last item in her suitcase and walked out of the room.

"You know, just because he calls out of the blue, doesn't mean you have to go see him. He could make more of an effort to be around." Beth was sitting on the couch, silently refusing to move.

"Mom. Let's get going. I want to see him. And before you say it. Yes, I know he only shows up once in a blue moon. But I still want to see him." A hand on her hip, Nikki dangled car keys and waited impatiently for her mother to get off the couch. "Please. Let's go."

Heaving a great sigh, Beth stood up and walked towards Nikki. "Okay. Let's get this over with then."

_Los Angeles Airport_

"Got your phone?" Beth looked somewhat frantic, trying to mentally tick off all the necessary items before Nikki boarded the plane. "Toothbrush? What about your phone charger? Oh, and socks. Did you pack socks?"

Laughing, Nikki hugged her mom. "Yes, I remembered all of those. I'm going to miss my flight if I don't leave now. I love you, I'll miss you, and I'll be back in a few days." Sparing one moment to smile reassuringly at her mother, she turned and hurried off towards her departure gate.

_Chicago Airport_

"Hey Dad. It's Nikki. Just calling - again - to remind you that I'm here. At the airport. Right now. Hopefully you're on your way or something." She sighed and clicked the call off. She'd been standing outside the airport for almost two hours at this point and still hadn't heard from her father. _'Why are you surprised he's not here? Not like this would be the first time it happened or anything,' _she thought to herself. Nikki looked around, spotted a taxi stand and decided she was tired of waiting. Grabbing her suitcase, she made her way to the stand. _'I think I remember the name of the shop he used to hang out at. Tool's, right? Yeah, that was it.'_ So that's where she went.


	2. Chapter 2

_Tool's (Four days earlier)  
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The cab came to a stop not far from the front door of Tool's and it didn't surprise Nikki to see her father's truck parked outside. She paid the cabbie, grabbed her suitcase and went inside. It took a few minutes of her standing in the doorway for anyone to even notice she was there. There was a handful of rather gruff looking men in the room, all laughing and having a good time. They seemed to be celebrating. Finally, a younger guy spotted her and spoke up.

"You lost, lady?" The tall man said to her.

With every head in the room turning to face the mystery 'lady,' it was Barney who spoke up next. "Shit. Nikki. That was today." He stood up and crossed the room. "I'm sorry, pumpkin. We just got back from a job."

Nikki took a step away from her father, a very angry look on her face. "You know, you're the one who called me. You're the one who invited me out here. If you didn't really want to see me, why bother?" She turned on the spot and left the building.

Barney followed her out, trying to defuse the situation. "Nikki, I'm sorry. I do want to see you. I've got some time off now and I thought it'd be good to, you know, hang out. We could go sight-seeing, get some pizza, have a good time." He knew he wasn't always the best father, that he wasn't around enough. Having her out here right now was important to him though, and he didn't want to blow it completely. "I'm going to grab my things and then we can go get something for dinner. What do you think about that?"

Nikki hadn't turned around but she had stopped walking. She was annoyed with her dad, but she really did want to see him. It had been a long time since he asked to spend any time with her. She was shuffling her feet a bit and scowling down at the ground, still trying to decide if she should forgive him. A moment passed in silence, Barney patiently waiting for her response. At last she turned around, crossed her arms, and said, "Fine. But if you bail on me for work even for a minute while I'm here, I'm not coming back."

That was good enough for Barney, "Deal." He walked over, grabbed her suitcase and tossed it in the back of his truck. "I'll be right back then." He went back inside Tool's to get his things.

"Pumpkin?" It was Christmas who inquired first. Everyone was wondering who the girl was, it was just a matter of who would get the question out first. "Don't you think she's a little young for you, Barney?" Everyone chuckled a bit.

"You're a funny guy, Christmas." Barney replied dryly, while picking up his jacket. "That's my daughter."

"And you forgot to pick her up? That's messed up," said Caesar. "Hope that girl rings a shopping spree out of you as penance." The whole thing was meant in jest, but Barney knew Caesar was right about him forgetting her.

"Keep joking, fellas. You'll see what happens," Barney retorted as he was leaving the building.


	3. Chapter 3

_Barney's (Four days earlier)  
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The whole drive out to Barney's house was silent. Nikki was still angry with him, and he wasn't about to let himself off the hook either. On the way into the house, he was making a list of the various things he could take her to see in Chicago - the aquarium, the stadium - and that's where his list ended. He really had no idea what to do with Nikki, he just knew he wanted to spend time with her. '_Too many near death experiences lately, Barney. Get some time with her before you don't have any time left,_' he thought to himself. "What do you want to get for dinner, Nik?"

She just kept walking, looking at some of the new items her dad had brought into his house. There was something that caught her eye, a drawing of a woman's face. "When did you get that, Dad?"

"Oh, that was from a couple years ago." Barney said, remembering Vilena and everything that happened there for just a moment. "It stuck with me."

"It's nice." She nodded in agreement. "We could just get some pizza if you want," she spoke finally answering her father's question. "Or Chinese maybe. I don't have a preference really, both sound good."

"Alright. Let's get some pizza. I know a great place. Want to get your things set up in your room first or something?"

"Sure, and I should call Mom to let her know I'm here." Nikki grabbed her suitcase and headed up the stairs. She knew exactly which room was hers even though it had been a few years. Very little else had changed in her father's house apart from a few decorations. Truthfully, it always seemed like no one lived there when she wasn't around.

_Dmitri's Pizza Shop_

"Then she started yelling at the top of her lungs for someone to kill the spider. It was seriously one of the funniest things I've ever seen Mom do." Nikki was laughing while telling the story. It was good to laugh with her dad again. She loved how happy he got around her. It was almost as if he was experiencing her for the first time every time they got together. She often wondered if it had something to do with the work he did. Whatever that was. '_Maybe this visit will be the time he tells you,'_ she thought.

"So I was thinking we could go back to Tool's and I could introduce you to the guys. They're all nice guys, been working with them for a lot of years. I think you'd like them. Except maybe Gunnar. He's a little different." He was hesitant to take this step, but knew that she was old enough to know what he did. Knowing these men would also help her in the long-run, especially if something ever happened to him. They'd look after her, keep her safe. "If you want, I mean. Up to you."

She stared at him for a moment, half wondering if he had heard her thinking about that and half curious as to why he was wanting to introduce her to his work friends. Something niggled at her brain, told her there was something wrong. She ignored it, or at least pushed it to the background. "I'd love that, Dad," she said at last, then grabbed another piece of pizza and launched into yet another 'crazy Mom' story.


	4. Chapter 4

_Tool's (Four days earlier)  
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After more than an hour of pizza and storytelling, they made their way back to Tool's. Nikki was pretty excited about meeting her father's work friends, but she was doing her best to keep it under wraps. After all, it wasn't every day that this opportunity came around.

Barney felt nervous about introducing his daughter to his crew. They were all good guys, but on the surface they could come off a bit rough, to say the least. He knew that ultimately it was a good idea though. He wasn't getting any younger and the jobs were definitely taking their toll on him. _'Just do it, Barney,'_ he thought, _'You'll be glad you did when they're looking after her somewhere down the road.'_ "Like I said before, they're nice guys. A little rough around the edges, but nice just the same." He walked ahead of Nikki, and was greeted by a raucous round of "hello's" when the guys saw him come in. They were all being nonchalant about it, but every one of them had noticed the girl behind him and were just waiting for Barney to start the introductions. It was a moment before anyone even spoke beyond their first greetings. Barney seemed anxious, and they all noticed it.

Nikki spoke up first. "Hello!" She tried to seem genuinely calm, even if she was very excited about this whole thing. "I'm Nikki."

"My daughter," came Barney's voice, the nerves settling a bit like they always do when it's time to get down to business. "She's visiting, in from Los Angeles." He started pointing different people out to Nikki, "That's Yin Yang. Toll Road," turning to Nikki, he added with a chuckle, "Try not to stare at the ears. He's very sensitive."

"Real funny, man," came Toll Road's reply."

"Gunnar Jensen. Hale Caesar. Lee Christmas, and that's Tool." Barney seemed nervous, which was making his team nervous. It was unlike their boss to be nervous. They knew he wouldn't have introduced his daughter unless there was a very good reason. All they had to do was figure it out.

"We were, uh, thinking of hitting some sights around town tomorrow," Barney said, breaking the silence. "Any suggestions?"

"I took my son to Shedd Aquarium a few years back. He loved it," came Gunnar's voice from the corner of the room, followed immediately by looks of surprise in his direction.

Nikki smiled, "I'd love to visit the aquarium. We've talked about going before but something always happens and we end up out of time."

As if her words came out as a challenge to the universe, Tool's phone rang in the background and he disappeared to answer the call.

"We'll go first thing tomorrow then," Barney replied. "Should check out the Pier, too." He nodded , mostly to reassure himself that this outing with Nikki would be good for him. "Maybe even take a cruise around the lake."

Her eyes lit up and Nikki found herself laughing a little. "A cruise would be so fun, Dad!" She was getting excited about tomorrow. There would be so many opportunities to talk to her father, and she was determined to figure out more about him.

"On another note," said Caesar, "I don't think I knew you had a son, Gunnar." Most of the guys nodded in agreement. "But then again, it would seem many of us don't know much about each other's families." This last sentence was obviously directed at Barney, and Nikki found herself a bit hurt.

"Wait - you all didn't know he had a daughter?" The words came out calmly, but Nikki could feel her face getting hot. The people who her father had left her behind for on many occasions didn't even know she existed. In her mind that meant she wasn't worth mentioning to them, and that stung far more than it probably should have. She looked to Barney for an answer.

He could see the pain in his daughter's eyes and knew that her heart was broken - and it was his fault. He needed to fix this. He knew that blaming it on work wouldn't undo the damage, but it was his best option. "We don't talk much about our lives outside of the group, Nik." As he spoke Barney took a few steps toward Nikki, but that just caused her to move backwards. He sighed and stopped walking. "When we're working, we focus on the job 100 percent. In our line of work, we can't afford to let anything distract us." Judging from the way the muscle in Nikki's jaw was working, Barney knew he was right about the effect using work as an excuse would have on his daughter, and he knew it wasn't a good direction to have taken the conversation. But it was the only reason he could come up with.

Only - if he had known what Tool was about to say when he came back in the room, Barney wouldn't have even said anything at all. Nikki's disappointment was going to get much, much worse.


	5. Chapter 5

_Beijing, China (Four days earlier)  
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He watched the video playing on his computer. The men onscreen were of great interest to him. He watched their precision – their movements all in sync. These were the best mercenaries money could buy – and they were honorable, too. They had stood up to help the little guy more than once, and didn't shy away from getting their hands dirty.

He glanced at the picture on his desk. It was his little brother. While the two weren't particularly close, he did his best to look out for the kid, so when word got back to him that Billy had signed up with this crew of mercs – these expendable men – it was no wonder that he grew concerned.

Before long, news of Billy's death reached his ears and he knew that someone was going to pay dearly for that crime. They had taken very different paths – Billy and he – but they weren't all that different at their cores. Both men had joined the military as soon as they were old enough. He had been in the Army for a little over five years when the kid joined up. It wasn't long before Billy started making a name for himself as a marksman. Every story he heard about how great a shot Billy was always made him proud.

He wasn't an expert marksman. He wasn't even a very well-known soldier, at least not in civilized circles. But he did have quite the reputation with certain people for getting things done, no matter the cost, and he had many opportunities to perfect his skills over the years. Now, looking back down at the screen on his desk, he was going to direct all of his attention to the people he deemed responsible for his brother's death.

_Tool's (Four days earlier)  
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Tool had a look of frustration about him when he came back in the room, but he waited a few minutes to let everyone finish their conversation. They were talking about nothing in particular, and he could tell the conversation was a bit forced. He wondered why for a moment before interrupting and directing the conversation to a new piece of business. The job was urgent, the pay high. But something just wasn't sitting right with Tool. Nevertheless, he planned on passing the information on to Barney and the gang. It was always up to them whether they took a job or not. This one is no different – nagging feeling be damned.

"Hey Barney," Tool interjected, "Just got a call about a job." The room became immediately silent and all eyes were on Tool, especially Nikki's. She was very curious about what Tool was about to say. "I know the timing is bad, but it's a bit of a rush job. Eager clients and all."

Nikki picked up on the obvious avoidance of any telling details in Tool's statements. She was certain it was deliberate due to her presence in the room. She also came to the realization that her father was likely to be breaking their deal very soon. The question she had to ask herself was if she would let him off the hook or if she was really going to hold him to it. It was a tough decision, and it had the potential to make or break their already tenuous relationship. The resentment was already building up in her chest, and she could feel the heat returning to her cheeks again. It wasn't going to take much before the tears would start flowing, which was the last thing Nikki wanted.


	6. Chapter 6

_Tool's (Four days earlier)  
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Barney shifted his weight from side to side, trying to dispel some of his nervous energy. Caught between a rock and a hard place, he wasn't sure how to handle this situation. He looked at Nikki as if she held the answer. Her cheeks were pink and Barney saw the beginnings of tears in her eyes. More disappointment, this visit was not going as Barney had planned. He didn't want to blow it, but he did need to discuss this job with the guys.

"It's getting late. Me and the guys can go over the details of the job and fill you in tomorrow," said Tool, who sensed the tension building. "You and the little miss should spend some quality time together."

Barney was grateful for Tool's quick thinking. Nikki wasn't going to be thrilled, but not having to discuss work on the first day of her stay would help ease the sting. "Good idea. Nik, what do you say we grab some ice cream or something on the way home?"

The guys were clearly getting anxious to hear about the rush job Tool mentioned, but they were equally interested in watching how the situation between Barney and his daughter played out. They didn't often get to see this side of their boss, and it was an opportunity to learn more about Barney.

"You're welcome to talk about it now, Dad." Nikki wanted to know more about Barney's work, so she welcomed the change in conversation. She knew that talking about work would inevitably lead to her father bailing on her visit and her having to go home early. Her mother would gloat her 'I told you so's for a very long time if that happened. "I can just catch a cab back to your place. We can come up with a game plan for tomorrow when you get home." She didn't realize it until she finished speaking that she was already willing to let her dad off the hook for working. Of course she'd feel disappointed, but she loved Barney and would always forgive him, no matter what.

Barney looked at the mature young woman in front of him and wondered how he missed her growing up so much. He's missed so much of his little girl's life. He didn't know where to start making that up. "I'd rather you not take a cab," he said, blanching at how petty it came out considering Nikki's willingness to let work interfere again. "What I mean is it's just not too safe. I'll take you home." Turning to the group, he said, "I'll meet you clowns at the bar to talk about the job." Getting nods of acknowledgment from all around, Barney turned to Nikki. "Alright, let's get out of here."

Nikki wanted to argue. She really would have rather had her father talk about work before taking her home. But as always, the subject of Barney Ross's career was left to vagaries, so she followed him out to his truck and sat in silence as they drove to his house.

"Nikki," Barney started to say, hesitating to choose the right words. "Things are changing. I'm going to try to be around more often." He paused again, still trying to find the words. "You're important to me. I want you to know that."

Watching her father struggle to get those words out told Nikki all she needed to know. She shuffled over in the cab of the truck to lean against Barney's shoulder. "I love you too, Dad," she said with a smile.

A smile on his face as well, he couldn't help but be proud. Nikki always did seem to know exactly what he was thinking in times like this. He was very lucky to have her in his life. They sat quietly for the rest of the drive with Nikki resting her head on Barney's shoulder the whole way, so Barney found himself very disappointed when they pulled up to his drive just a few short minutes later. _'Never enough time,'_ he thought.

Barney walked her up to the house and let her in. "You know the drill, Nik. Help yourself to anything you want." He placed a kiss on her forehead and added, "I won't be long, I promise."

She nodded and smiled as he turned to walk back to his truck. She knew that he'd probably take quite a bit longer than he thought he would, but she didn't care. She'd just curl up on the couch under one of his jackets and fall asleep like past visits. Shutting and locking the door behind her, Nikki made her way to the kitchen. Popcorn and a movie sounded like a good idea to her.

Nikki had just started the microwave when she heard a clanging noise coming from upstairs. Turning her head to hear the sound better, she didn't notice the figure come up behind her.

Within seconds, she was unconscious and being lifted up onto the figure's shoulder.


	7. Chapter 7

_Barney's (Four days earlier)  
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Barney had been with the guys for nearly three hours – quite a lot longer than he'd originally planned – and he had a sneaking suspicion that Nikki would already be asleep when he pulled in the drive. He walks in the door and the pungent smell of burnt popcorn hits his nose. He can't help but chuckle, knowing that Nikki probably got distracted by something and forgot about the popcorn until it was too late. He actually enjoyed the smell of burnt popcorn because it meant that Nikki was there since he only ever bought it for her.

Walking through the entryway, he could hear the TV and as he rounded the corner into the living room Barney expected to see Nikki asleep on the couch. He was surprised then to find the couch empty, but that made him hope she was still awake.

"I'm home. What are we watching?" He asked loudly while putting his jacket up. Getting no answer, he turned to head towards the kitchen. As he walked past the couch, he glanced down to see one of his jackets lying out. Nikki always curled up with that particular jacket when she was in town. She may be almost grown but she would always be the little girl who walked around with Daddy's jacket and boots on. It was one of Barney's favorite memories. If he was being honest with himself, it was also one of the only memories he had of Nikki as a child. Work had kept him away from home far more than he would have liked.

Frowning slightly to himself, Barney headed into the kitchen, thinking it would be the next logical place to find Nikki. "Nik?" He was greeted by an empty kitchen and the intermittent beeping of the microwave. Stepping toward the microwave, he notices a shattered glass on the floor which puzzles him. Once at the microwave, he opens the door to find the smoldering bag of popcorn. The broken glass and popcorn still in the microwave caused concern to creep up on Barney. It was unusual for Nikki to make any kind of a mess and not clean it up. That coupled with the only noise in the house being the TV made him worry.

"Nikki!" He called again as he quickly moved out of the kitchen to the upstairs bedrooms. Opening the door to Nikki's room, Barney held his breath, hoping to find her asleep but afraid that he wouldn't find her at all. The room was dark, so he quietly said her name again, "Nik?"

When she didn't answer, he flipped the light switch on only to find an empty bed. It didn't even seem like the bed had been touched since he made it up earlier in the week. As he turned to leave something on the end table caught his eye. Propped against the lamp was a note addressed to him.

Picking it up, Barney flipped it open and quickly read through it. By the time he finished it, he could feel his heart pounding in his ears and he didn't even realize he was moving out of the room. It wasn't until his hand touched his jacket that he became aware of what he was doing. Finally his brain caught up to the situation and he was angry. Angrier than he'd ever been.

He shoved the note into one pocket and pulled out his phone. A few clicks on the phone followed by a gruff English accent on the other side, "Get the guys and meet me at Tool's. Now." Barney slams the phone shut, grabs his keys and is out the door in a matter of seconds.

_Warehouse (Three days earlier)  
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She awakes in a darkened room with grogginess in her head that she can't quite shake. Blinking her eyes open a few times, Nikki strains to see anything in the darkness. She sits up, feeling the cold, hard surface underneath her. There is something tight around her wrists. As she brings her hands up to her face, she realizes there are chains pulling her arms down. A slight panic setting in, Nikki uses her hands to trace the chains down to the ground, and finds a metal ring set in the concrete that she's hooked to. She's trapped.

Nikki frantically searches the area around her, at least as far as the chains will let her, hoping to find something she can use to free herself. Her eyes are adjusted to the darkness now and it's easier for her to see where she is. It's a long, narrow room with no windows and only one door at the opposite end. She can't tell how long she's been in this room, or where exactly this room was. She is more than a little frightened and hopes that it isn't as sinister as it seems, even though deep down she knows better.


	8. Chapter 8

_Tool's (Three days earlier)_

"All that was left was this note?" asked Christmas.

Barney nodded, unable to find his voice. He paced back and forth in the garage, anger radiating from him causing his crew to keep a good distance away. It wasn't just anger, he realized. It was fear. Pure, gut-wrenching fear. How could he have let something like this happen to the only person outside of the Expendables that he cared about? 'The only person you care about that isn't able to defend herself,' his mind corrected.

"What does it say?" Caesar's voice came from somewhere to Barney's right.

Christmas raked his eyes over the note one more time before passing it off to the next guy. Each one spent a minute reading it through before concern crept up on their faces. It was a simple message. _"I have the girl. Come to the listed coordinates in three days. If you do not show, she dies."_ As the note made it back to Barney, Tool spoke up. "Do we know anyone who would risk your wrath by doing something like this?"

Most of the guys had been silent through the exchanges between Christmas, Barney, and Tool. No one quite knew what to say. Toll Road had been watching Barney especially close and chose this moment to speak up. "Doesn't matter who did it. All that matters is what we do to him for messing with our family."

Nods of agreement from all around, Barney finally broke his silence. "We have a location. It's going to be a trap, but I'm going in regardless and I'm not waiting three days. I'm going now."

Gunnar, Caesar, and Toll started packing their gear when Tool interrupted. "Can you hold off for a few hours? I want to make some calls about these coords, see if I can drum up some intel so you're not going in blind." He could see the hesitation on Barney's face, so he added, "Barney, you can't rescue her if you're dead. A few hours is all I'm asking. Take the time to get your gear ready."

Barney looked around the room at all the faces watching for his reaction. Tool was right. Heading out in a huff would just get everyone killed. "Fine. Three hours. Then we leave."

_Warehouse (Present day)_

Time feels like its standing still. Nikki tries to count the seconds, but her fear keeps causing her to lose track. For the first few hours, she tried pulling against the chains, although that only made her arms tired and the tears come harder. Now all she can do is sit balled up on the floor.

She has seen only one person in the time she has been locked in this room. Twice a day a man in a mask came in to drop food in front of her. Initially she cried and begged to be let out, or to at least be told what was going on. She doesn't even move when he comes in now. She just waits for him to set things down and leave. By the number of times he's been in, Nikki knows it's been at least three days since she woke up in the room. She's still scared of being in chains, but a degree of numbness is setting in and she isn't crying as much as she did in the beginning.

All she can do is wait.


End file.
